Joey Mantia had been struggling to finish his races with any motivation this season after a December bout of COVID-19 left him fatigued, but it was his finish that earned him an unprecedented third mass start speed skating world title on Saturday in Heerenveen, Netherlands.
At 35 years and 6 days of age, Mantia became the second oldest speed skating world champion in a singular individual event.
Hanging between seventh and 12th for much of the race and never making any real movement during the first 10 laps, the 35-year-old American appeared not to be a threat in the 16-man field.